I get a Halacha by email each day, and last Friday the a
Halacha was that water fountains are ok on shabbos. I always thought they were assur, and this thread confused me more. I asked them for sources, here they are:
Following is the resources about the halacha of water fountain which we based the halacha, Horav Yisroel Belsky Shlita, see Be’er Moshe 6:58, Rivevos Ephraim 3:248:page 145, 5:534:1, Nishmas Shabbos Electric page 85. (73) Those who permit the opening of a refrigerator even if the motor is off are the Minchas Shlomo 1:10, Shulchan Shlomo 1:277:1, Tzitz Eliezer 8:12, 12:92, Yalkut Yosef Shabbos 5:pages 201-202, Nishmas Shabbos Electric 36 in depth. Rivevos Ephraim 3:590:24, this is the opinion of Horav Moshe Feinstein zt”l quoted in The Shabbos Home 2:page 482 (although in the teshuva he says the opposite). The following poskim maintain opening a refrigerator is not allowed if the motor is off, Edos L’Yisroel pages 122, 151-153, Igros Moshe O.C. 2:68, Mishnas Rav Aron 4, Har Tzvi 1:151, Chelkes Yaakov 1:54, 2:47, 3:179, Shemiras Shabbos K’hilchoso 10:12, Minchas Yitzchok 2:16, 4:64:2, Bris Olom page 78, Oz Nedberu 1:59, 2:36:3, Be’er Moshe kuntres electric 6:4-6, Yaskil Avdi O.C. 5:36, Yabea Omer O.C. 1:21, Shalmei Yehuda page 55:footnote 66 quoting the opinion of Horav Elyashiv Shlita, Kovetz Bais Aron V’Yisroel 87:pages 102-107, see Rivevos Ephraim 3:248 in depth. The Chazzon Ish holds a refrigerator may not be opened on Shabbos if it runs on a thermostat (Chut Shuni Shabbos 1:pages 199-201). Some say one should open a refrigerator with a shinu (Teshuvos V’hanhugos 1:222, see Teshuvos Horav Shteiff 66:page 66). Horav Yisroel Belsky Shlita, see Nishmas Shabbos Electric pages 85-87.
And this was the original email:
Using a Water Cooler/Water Fountain on Shabbos
One may use a water cooler or water fountain (even when it is plugged in) on Shabbos if he is lenient in regard to opening a refrigerator on Shabbos (even if the motor is off). The same would apply to changing the water bottle on top of a water cooler on Shabbos